Who the F*ck is James V. Carter?

Everyone knows I love a good mystery. In fact, family mysteries are my specialities. While looking through a bunch of old photos, that belonged to my step-dad (Dave)'s family, I had some questions.

Coletta Todaro Coy Jones was Dave's Aunt. It wasn't until Dave was an adult that he realized Coletta was his father's half-sister. What does that really matter though, who calls someone "half-aunt"?

The family story was that Coletta's father was an Italian produce seller in Marion, Ohio. He refused to pay "protection" money to some crime syndicate and was killed. His widow, Dave's grandma Yanka, remarried in 1919. Nothing was ever spoken or known about the Todaro family. Dave grew up close with his Aunt Colletta.

Coletta & her husband, Paul, never had children. It was never spoken of why but Dave was invited over often for sleepovers. She also plied Dave's mother, Ruth, will endless child rearing advice that drove Ruth nuts.

Grandma Yanka (Margaret Yanka Todaro Coy) flanked
 Left: Coletta & Paul Jones
Right: Ray & Ruth Coy

Getting back to the box of photos, it was packed up from Coletta & Paul's house after they died. Direct from the source!

As I began to go through the photos, I wondered ...

Where are the Todaro's? Why are there no photos, documents, etc in here?
What is the truth about Coletta's Dad?
What even was her father's name?

This is the part where I stopped trying to solve one mystery and tripped over another.

Coletta was born in circa 1912 and Margaret remarried in 1919. Therefore, Mr. Todaro had to have died sometime between these years.  I found James "Jim" Totaro. Ironically his mother's name was Nicoletta, the name Dave says was Coletta's actual name before it was "changed".

Single gunshot wound to the neck.

Nicoletta died in 1931 in Ohio but I do not know if she had a relationship with her granddaughter. 

I searched a few more things. Seems everything was on the up & up the the Todaro legend. Something else was about to rear it's head ...

While going through the box I recalled seeing Coletta & Paul's wedding announcement neatly clipped in the album. They married in 1941. It regaled the marriage of Miss Coletta Coy & Mr. Paul Jones. No longer Todaro?

Doing some additional searches I found some more information regarding Coletta. As I never knew Coletta nor was she my family, I didn't anticipate the look of surprise on Dave's face when I said, " What is the story with Coletta's first husband? ". His response, "WHAT?". 

Maybe that's why she was using Coy? Why was she in Cleveland from Marion? Most importantly, who the f*ck is James V. Carter?

And so this new mystery begins .....

FJP

I'm writing this post a bit early because of my upcoming schedule.

He was deeply loved, adored, funny, handsome, and a special man. He could fix anything - MacGyver style! I deeply regret that I never met him. It'd be a lie to say we don't speak of him often and what he would think about certain things. I've seen the way people get wispy eyed talking about him but it's a testament to all the lives he touched.

Grandpa's Graduation Photo

I've never heard a negative word about him except for his intense struggle with alcoholism. "Frank was a great guy ... if only ... could have.. you know..... stayed off the sauce.". The preferred drink of choice was 7 & 7 for him. He succumbed to the side effects/complications of alcoholism at age 61. He was F.J.P. aka C.E.I (Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company) Frank - he was my grandfather that died 3 years before I was born.

Ironically, "CEI Frank" has become a bit of a Cleveland legend. People that started working at CEI after 1982 aren't sure if he existed or was just an urban legend - they have all heard the name. My grandpa is like some sort of magic unicorn!

As kids we went to Geauga Lake with my father in the early 90's. CEI was having their annual company picnic at the same pavilion. My father introduced my sister & I to some CEI staffers. I'll never forget my Dad telling them "These are CEI Frank's granddaughters" by way of introduction followed with ... " he really existed? " or those that did know/remember him "it's a honor to meet you" sending us on with all kinds of free CEI swag.

Grandpa refused to climb the poles as he'd seen too many friends fried. When massive snow storms blew in, he was one of the first that would head out to help restore power. I've also been told he wired a lot of the houses on the east side (I believe it was east but maybe west) off the books.

My mother has always reflected on her wish that she would have asked him more about the family; however, her generation (the baby boomers) knew not to ask the adults questions.

If he were still with us I would want to ask him:

1. What did you do during WWII? What unit? What are your stories?
     * He wanted to be a pilot but had poor vision so he settled for a mechanic MOS. I know he was attached to a (yet unknown unit due to the National Archives Fire) light bomber squadron in Curacao as an A-20 mechanic.  It was part of the Battle of the Caribbean. They bombed German boats attempting to enter the Caribbean, at the behest of the Dutch, as it was believed Germany was making a play for Venezuela's oil. He was airlifted back to the US, near the end of the war, due to a near fatal case of malaria in 1944. He stayed stateside after recovering & the remainder of his time was spent in KS working on B-29 Fortress aircrafts. He married my grandma on leave. He was also given leave to attend his brother's funeral mass.

Photo sent to my grandmother during WWII

2. How did you find out your brother died & how did it effect you? Did you ever find out what really happened to Nick? Did you feel guilty that you survived the war but he did not?
    * I think the death notification went something like, Melba (Nick's wife) received the telegram. Melba summoned Aunts Katie & Martha (all the boys were at war). The task fell to Katie & Martha to translate to tell my great-grandfather, Louis, that Nick was dead. Someone, I'm guessing one of the sisters, had to write my grandpa and tell him. (Army regulations at this time being what they were - only Melba would have gotten a telegram.) Or it was withheld until he returned to be told in person (not wanting to upset him in a combat theater).

3. What is the real story about your multiple birth dates?

Uncle Al

Uncle Al was my grandmother's brother. This week I asked my mom to write her memories of Uncle Al to share with you!

Uncle Al Evans was my mother’s older brother.  My mom was a “change of life” baby and her siblings were all older than her.  Mom was raised by her brothers-which probably accounted for her love of sports.  All of mom’s brothers always looked out for mom.

Uncle Al lived just up the street from our house on Cassius Ave.  We would stop by often and visit.  Uncle Al had remarried and lived with his 2nd wife-Aunt Peg.  I always remember my Uncle Al being there when mom needed anything.  If it snowed, Uncle Al might come down and plow the driveway.  With lots of medical bills with our family, I had always heard Uncle Al would help when he could with medical expenses.  Uncle Al was known for being a dedicated Republican.  Mom and my sister would often work the polling booths on Election Day for the Republican Party. It was Uncle Al who helped me get my first job with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.

He will always be remembered by me as a caring, loving uncle and someone who would do anything for family.  Rest in peace Uncle Al.  I love you.

Al & Peg Evans circa 1945 Cleveland, Ohio.

Cousin Eloise

This week I decided to shift it up just a bit and write about someone I actually remember - although fleetingly.

As a little girl, my paternal grandmother was no longer able to drive. My father would drive us to visit her which would often follow with trips to the store, deli, or other errands. Occasionally, "Cousin Eloise" would be in town.

Eloise sounded exotic and on the surface, oh boy a cousin to play with! The first few times she visited , I was too young to understand she was my grandmother's cousin - not mine. She was a Grant - a concept that I also failed to grasp until years later.

Cousin Eloise was my grandmother's first cousin - my great-grandmother Isabel Grant's brother, Robert, was Eloise's father. Although they were close in age, Eloise had married and moved to Texas; however, she never had children.

The early visits I don't quite recall what they did. Their last, it's quite vivid. We had two little old bitties in Tower City Center on the upper deck in the sunshine. My father, sister, and I sat at our own table. All the while grandma & Eloise would eat and talk by themselves. We would sometimes split up from them in the shops synchronizing watches to meet back up. It seemed though that they just wanted to talk - to connect. In retrospect it's as if they knew time was running out.

This was sometime circa 1996 or 1997. Eloise died the summer of 1998 and grandma died that spring in 1999.

A few years ago I found this yearbook picture of her from 1942 West Technical HS in Cleveland . The donated yearbook must have belonged to someone Eloise knew as she was one of the few signatures in the yearbook.

The Curious Case of Abraham

Abraham. Abraham. Where do I start - he seemed to be the most logical starting place for this challenge. Unfortunately, I can only share facts about him.

Forums will often ask, " Who is your most distant direct male ancestor? ". Abraham is mine (3rd Great-Grandfather) and he's also a brick wall.

As he is the most distant, I'm not able to say that Miles became our de facto surname, starting with him. His records alternate between Mills or Miles as a surname. Growing up, I was told the name was originally Mills but had been recorded incorrectly as Miles on documents. Instead of correcting it, one of the generations began using Miles exclusively. Miles is the surname we have used since circa 1850.

He was born circa 1814 in NY as Abraham A. Mills/Miles. I have no other details. In December 1835 he was present in Cleveland where he married Harriet Williams (b. circa 1815 in MA). Abraham & Harriet's children were (in age order):

Manson W.
Chas S.
Hernando de Soto
Franklin P.
William G.

Abraham & Harriet's marriage license from 1835 in Cuyahoga County.

All of the children, minus William, were born in Ohio. I am a direct descendant of Hernando. Before 1860, the family farm was sold off. Abraham disappears from official records while Harriet (and children) pop up in various locations. For example William was born in IA but there is no mention or records relating to Abraham. My Aunt & I have speculated he died sometime between 1855 - 1892 but further information (including a burial location) has never been found. Recently I learned of Franklin & William. As a result I've been attempting to trace possible descendants of them with the hope of obtaining more information.

Several years ago I found an old map of the Miles farm owned by Abraham & Harriet Miles in Cleveland. Below is a partial email string with my aunt. She is a genealogy librarian & is very helpful.

Unfortunately, I had great difficulty trying to determine where the farm was in modern Cleveland. I began reading the legal description online which kept mentioning Richmond Rd but provided no other tangible clues. As a side note: Going through property transfers and tax records I know he was Abraham A. Miles. Admittedly I have no idea what the A stands for. There was also a William Miles signing as a witness to Harriet's signature on various deeds. I have not made a connection yet. (I now believe this William was likely the son.)

Yesterday, I found a really neat Cuyahoga County Genealogy Page on Facebook which spliced several historic maps together. The oldest map was 1852 - the exact map I originally found the farm location in.
http://web.ulib.csuohio.edu/speccoll/maps/clevmaps.html
1. Select " Greater Cleveland Historic Maps ".

2. In the upper right corner type in "Richmond Rd & Highland Rd" for the 2012 map. Zoom in on the area. Then click 1852 ( you may need to zoom out for it to load ). Look for "A. Miles", looks like he owned half a block.

3. I mapped it and it's about 4 miles down Monticello from the Roanoke Rd (where my paternal grandparents lived for about 50 years) house.

My Aunt & I have hypothesized that Abraham died, was then interred on the family farm. OR - he died during one of the family living stints outside of Ohio.

Aunt Linda summed it up perfectly, "If I could go back and talk to anyone in that family that has passed I's want to know the signifigance of Hernando Desoto Miles.  The other names are pretty regular, but Hernando?   Of course Sterlie is another odd name too.  I never thought to ask my dad where the name came from. ".

Where art thou Abraham?

UPDATE FEBRUARY 14, 2014:

Two EXTREMELY promising DNA leads have surface regarding the Miles family. I'm in desperate need of another known Miles relative to test but do not have the funds myself. It appears Abraham's family is linked to a Miles family near Rathbone, NY and/or Vermont.

2014 Challenge

I've always had the intention of starting a blogging and keeping up with it - - - intention - - -.

Enter this post. 

My posts will not be 52 weeks as you will see what I have planned for June when it arrives. Each Sunday I will post something new and I have asked various family members to guest post. This could be a memory, story, photo, facts, etc. As little or as much as you'd like. Photos are great too! If I have written about someone but excluded any mention of a son/daughter, etc it's likely I have another upcoming blog to talk about the specific person.

If I have linked you to this blog note, I would like you to write or share something about the person I mentioned in the private message. Tenatively I have a list of names for each week that is flexible and subject to change. Mostly, I am using it as a general guide to keep myself on track.

Although I can spew facts it is not a substitute for what you might share about your mother, brother, father, etc. Note: My intent is to omit information (unless you give me permission to mention you by name) about living individuals for privacy reasons.

My father's brother, Uncle Tom, calls me the family scribe. I guess I'm proving him right:)